Many products, especially consumer products, are packaged in flexible bags made from a plastic or polymer film. Packages made from polymer films can offer various advantages. For instance, the polymer films can be wrapped tightly around the consumer products for eliminating void space. The resulting packages are not very bulky and are easy to handle. The polymer films can also be translucent, allowing a purchaser to view the contents prior to making the purchase. In addition, the polymer films can be printed with decorative graphics to make the product more attractive.
Although packages made from polymer films can provide various advantages, opening such packages can be quite difficult. For example, the polymer films must have sufficient strength to prevent against rupture during the packaging process and during subsequent transportation. Increasing the strength of the film or the seals that surround the content of the package, however, increases the difficulty in opening the package. For example, many such packages, such as packages that contain cereals, potato chips, and the like, do not include an easy opening feature. Thus, brute force or scissors need to be used in order to open the package.
Additionally, many processes known in the art for forming packages made from polymer films are not suitable for forming packages with easy opening features. For example, many known processes, such as shrink wrap processes and form, fill and seal processes, provide tightly wrapped packages made from strong materials that are intended to eliminate void space and protect the product contained therein from outside influences such as puncturing. These packaging processes, and the resulting tightly wrapped packages, prevent consumers from easily opening the packages.
In view of the above, a need currently exists for a process for forming packages with easy opening features. Further, a need currently exists for a package with an opening device that facilitates easy opening of the package.